Malawi’s war on sex trafficking stalls amid poverty, weak court evidence

Malawi’s fight against sex trafficking continues to be undermined by poverty, weak evidence in courts, and limited implementation of strong legal frameworks.

The revelation was made on Thursday at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe during the launch of a new Training Manual for Journalists on Reporting Sex Trafficking, an event organized by People Serving Girls at Risk (PSGR) in partnership with Equality Now.

protected by reCAPTCHA

RECOMMENDED STORIES

Judge Zione Ntaba orders DPP to refund K14m to Malawians within 30 days

Speaking during the launch, High Court Judge Justice Zione Ntaba said poverty remains the biggest driver of trafficking, accounting for about 70 percent of cases, while gender inequality and harmful cultural practices further fuel exploitation.

“Poverty and inequality expose women and girls to traffickers. Limited opportunities for education and employment, combined with cultural practices that undermine women’s autonomy, create systematic vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit,” Ntaba said.

Despite Malawi’s Trafficking in Persons Act (TIPA) prescribing life imprisonment for aggravated trafficking, Ntaba noted that enforcement remains inconsistent.

She pointed out that while the legal framework is robust, gaps in implementation—including limited investigative capacity, lack of victim protection mechanisms, and insufficient resources—continue to undermine the fight against trafficking.

“In 2024, only 46 trafficking-related cases were registered, with many dismissed due to lack of evidence. For trafficking, the evidence needs to be very strong for prosecution to actually happen, and for convictions to come through,” she explained.

Ntaba therefore challenged journalists to effectively carry out their responsibility of informing the public about the realities of sex trafficking, prioritizing humanity, and avoiding disclosure of victims’ full names.

The 2024 US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report similarly noted that Malawi secured just 11 convictions from 46 prosecutions, down from 24 the previous year, with courts often dismissing cases due to insufficient victim testimony and limited investigative resources.

Adding a regional perspective, Evans Munga, the Program Lead for Africa Ending Sexual Exploitation at Equality Now based in Nairobi, Kenya, described the media as a “key catalyst” in combating trafficking.

“Media does not only inform but also acts as a watchdog. It has the power to hold governments accountable, spotlight systemic failures, and amplify survivor voices. Without the media, many trafficking cases remain hidden,” Munga noted.

“Media has the power to penetrate grassroots communities and communicate in the languages people understand. This is vital for creating awareness and building impact,” he added.

Munga further urged African governments, including Malawi, to fully implement commitments under frameworks such as the Maputo Protocol, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, stressing that momentum must build from grassroots to continental action.

The new manual, launched under the theme “Combating Sex Trafficking in Malawi: Bridging the Gap Between Law and Implementation,” is expected to equip journalists with survivor-centered, ethical reporting tools to strengthen the fight against trafficking.